High-precision, super-fast and extremely cost-effective

The new S41 CNC universal cylindrical grinding machine by Studer is characterized by outstanding technology and cost-effectiveness. The machine grinds with much higher precision, paired with a much greater metal removal rate.  In addition the longitudinal and cross slide, as well as the swivel axis for the wheelhead are equipped with electric direct drives, which move to the working position much more quickly and precisely.

To launch the new S41, Studer installed a machine in the middle of the city to offer people of the area the possibility to discover this new product.
From left to right, Mr Fred Gaegauf Managing Director of Studer, Mr  Michael Horn, Chairmann of the board of Studer and member of the board of Schleifring Group and Mr Stephan Nell, chairman of the board of Schleifring Group (new functions since February 1, 2011) with the new S41.

Extremely rigid machine bed and maintenance-free guide system
The outstanding features of the S41 include, for example, the more solid, more rigid and more thermally stable machine bed made of Granitan® S103.
Thanks to its favorable thermal behavior, the machine bed largely equalizes brief variations in temperature – so that the machine operates with consistently high precision even with changing ambient temperatures.
The guideways of both the longitudinal slide and the cross slide are moulded directly into the machine bed.  To ensure that the high forces that occur during grinding with high metal removal rates are optimally absorbed into the machine bed, the guideways have a larger spacing.

The new StuderGuide® guideway system ensures high precision of the longitudinal and cross slides when both stationary and during movement. The StuderGuide® guideway system uses the advantages of hydrostatic and hydrodynamic guide systems and avoids the slip-stick effect or floating of the slide. Also contributing to the machine’s high precision is the fact that the solid gray cast iron longitudinal and cross slides rest completely on the guideways over the entire travel.  With this maintenance-free guide system, Studer guarantees a straightness of  < 0.003 millimeters over a measured length of 950 millimeters. The first test results even gave values of < 0.002 millimeters.

Electric direct drives increase speed and precision
The longitudinal slide (Z-axis) has a ground work table which carries the workhead and tailstock as well as additional accessories and devices.  A ground T-slot over the entire length of the guideway enables optimal positioning of dressing tools. The cross slide (X-axis) supports the wheelhead. Longitudinal and cross slides are moved by linear direct drives and, with up to 20 meters per second, achieve four times higher travel speeds and axis system resolutions of ten nanometers.  This enables high-precision and highly efficient grinding, as well as making a huge contribution to reducing auxiliary times.

No longer a Hirth gear
The swivel movement of the turret wheelhead (B-axis) is also by a direct drive. It swivels the turret wheelhead around three times faster and positions the new grinding wheels in a much shorter time with a positioning range of < 1″. The positioning is therefore twice as precise as with the predecessor machine.  The elimination of the Hirth gear, which fixed the wheelhead in position on the predecessor machines, also contributes to faster positioning. When swiveling in a new grinding wheel it is therefore no longer necessary to lift the turret wheelhead out of the Hirth gear first of all, and then to engage it again by lowering it.  The time required for fine adjustment after engaging in the Hirth gear is also saved. The new concept therefore makes a considerable contribution to saving on auxiliary times – particularly when the workpiece grinding process requires frequent swiveling-in of different wheels.

Fritz Studer AG
Thunstr. 15
CH-3612 Steffisburg
Tel. +41 33 439 11 11
Fax +41 33 439 11 12
info@studer.com
www.studer.com

An evolution with a taste of revolution: the Studer S41

For many years the Studer S40 CNC was THE universal cylindrical grinding machine. More than 1000 of these were sold and it was the king of the machines. The king is officially dead.
Today Studer presented its new S41 universal cylindrical grinding machine to 50 journalists as well as 200 commercial partners from all around the world.

After 20 years of high performance, the S40 is replaced by the S41 (pictures and more info available here tomorrow!)

At the press conference, we discovered that the machine is a logic evolution of a long history of tradition mixed with listening to customers. The aim of the new machine was clearly to improve something that was already the reference on the market. Not an easy task.

Multiple aims
The product description said the machine should be:

• Even better in precision
• Even better in quality
• Even better in reliability
• Even better in availability

The machine has been tested comprehensively and is better than the product description in every item.

Comprehensively tested
The S41 is dedicated to replace the S40… that is clearly the cash cow of Studer, then the company didn’t want to do any mistake in replacing it. Moreover the aim is to gain market share with this machine, thus being even better in all aspects than the reference on the market.
And to reach this, Studer simply tested ALL, i.e.:

• 5 years of product development and
• 18 months of tests

This new machine is available on sales from now on… on the basis of first order – first served. If you’re looking for a universal cylindrical grinding machine and wan to benefit from new standards… do not hesitate to contact Studer today.

Fritz Studer AG
CH 3602 Thun
Tel +41 33 439 11 11
Fax +41 33 439 11 12
info@studer.com
www.studer.com

PS: Why the title of this post? Because yes, the machine clearly is an evolution of the old one… but its features and results are so amazing that it is actually a revolution. For instance precision doesn’t mean the same with this machine that can produce with precision of 1/10 of a micron than with the previous one… We’ll go into deeper detail in a further issue of Eurotec.

R+W: Always close to customers

R+W Antriebselemente GmbH, the well known manufacturer of couplings redefined its business strategy. The Klingenberg (Germany) company parts with immediate effect with one of his Swiss trading partners, the company Bibus AG from Fehraltorf. Thus, Bibus AG is no longer an official reseller of R+W Antriebselemente and will not be supplied anymore by R+W Antriebselemente.

R+W Antriebselemente continues to offer its well known range of products of torque limiters, bellow couplings, elastomer couplings, and line shafts covering up to 160,000 Nm from other partners, such as the Geneva based company Servotronic and Bobry, the company located in Ebikon. Decision makers and planners can also directly contact R+W. Thanks to a company collaborator on-site providing valuable advice, R+W closely accompanies interested people and customers in their processes.

Products for every need
Revolutionary coupling systems are at the heart of development to meet the needs in drive technology of various industries. The company is certified according DIN EN ISO 9001 – accuracy and precision are essential conditions for the manufacture of precision couplings. In determination of prices, R+W is aligned to the general conditions of international markets and is distinguished by an excellent quality-price ratio. “Economy Class” products can benefit from R + W quality at particularly advantageous prices in many applications.

Ideal precision coupling
Products are mainly used, in CNC machine tools, CNC milling machines, in wood industry, packaging and textile, industrial robots, electric motors, gears and general mechanical industry.
Technology leader R+W also provides users software to calculate couplings on its website. This software allows customers to quickly and easily select the precision coupling finely tailored to their needs.

R+W Antriebselemente GmbH
Alexander Wiegand Straße 8
D-63911 Klingenberg / Germany

Tél. +49 (0)9372-9864-23
Fax: +49 (0)9372-9864-20
Stang@rw-kupplungen.de
www.rw-kupplungen.de

In switzerland:
Servotronic AG
www.servotronic.ch
info@servotronic.ch
Tel +41 22 794 93 26

bobry servo-electronic ag
info@bobry.ch
www.bobry.ch
Tel +41 440 77 22

MM Live UK 2011 – Call For Papers

Rapid News Communications Group is delighted to announce a significant development for MM Live UK in 2011. Having reached capacity at the previous venue, MM Live UK will relocate to the NEC Birmingham, enabling continued growth and the ability to offer an enhanced visitor and exhibitor experience.

MIM (Metal Injection Molding) combines both plastic injection and metal powders technologies. M. Breitenmoser Sales and Marketing Director with Parmaco (Switzerland) says: “The problem of the MIM ? We must convince our customers about the potential of the process itself before highlighting our specific strengths”.

The need to do this comes at an exciting time as 2011 will see Rapid News also take the reins of Interplas for the first time. The co-location of MM Live UK and Interplas along with TCT Live, MEMS Live UK , NANO Live UK, the PPMA Show and Sensing Technology will contribute to the largest gathering of engineering and manufacturing technology in the UK in 2011 with a projected attendance of over 10,000 visitors.

Call for paper
In order to maintain the world class nature of this event Rapid News Communications Group is now calling for outstanding abstract submissions for the following sessions.
The Micro Manufacturing Conference now in its 3rd edition, is characterised by high quality presentations from leading users of the technologies and industry commentators.  For 2011, the Conference will continue on the theme of Business Critical Technologies for Micro & Precision Manufacturing and to this end the conference organisers would welcome any paper submissions from parties who can present on the following general topics:

• Micro Moulding Plastics
• Powder (PIM), Ceramic (CIM), Metal (MIM) Micro Moulding
• Conventional Micro Machining Techniques
• New/Emerging Micro Machining Techniques (EDM, ECM, Waterjets), Laser Micro Machining
• Micro Fabrication, Welding, Assembly
• Micro Metrology: Optical, Tactile, CMMs

All submissions must be non-promotional in content and presented by companies or institutions that are utilizing and/or researching technologies for an industrial application.  Exhibitors are welcome to submit practical application-based case studies.

Interested in sharing your know-how?
Interested parties are initially requested to submit an abstract of 250 words of their proposed paper on or before February 28th 2011. This should include the working title, all authors/contributors and their affiliations. All submissions will be reviewed to ensure that they meet the necessary and exacting requirements of the Micro Manufacturing Conference.

MM Live UK will be held at the NEC Birmingham, 27–29 September 2011, and anyone submitting a presentation must be available to present on any of these three days. Please submit abstracts to Aleksandra Wisniewska via email: ola@rapidnews.com.

Rapid News Communications Group
Unit 2, Chowley Court
Chowley Oak Lane, Chowley, Tattenhall, Cheshire, CH3 9GA
Tel: +44 (0) 1829 770037,
events@rapidnews.com
www.mmliveuk.com

You can discover more about MIM in Switzerland in the Parmaco article published in Eurotec here.

CAM Software Brings Efficient Machining to SolidWorks 2011 3D CAD

GibbsCAM 2011 is optimized for machining parts designed in SolidWorks® 2011, and is a SolidWorks Certified CAM Partner Product. It further helps SolidWorks 2011 users with its unique interface, which makes CAM software easy to learn and easy to use, with language and icons that manufacturing professionals understand.

Among the many new features of GibbsCAM are recognition and preservation of SolidWorks features and colors, and the direct transfer of SolidWorks-wizard-generated holes to the GibbsCAM Hole Manager. Upon opening a SolidWorks model, GibbsCAM 2011 reads model attributes, then recognizes and preserves them as attributes in the GibbsCAM part file. Colors assigned by SolidWorks are preserved as CAD colors in the part file. All holes generated by the SolidWorks hole wizard transfer directly into the GibbsCAM Hole Manager and are automatically recognized. GibbsCAM’s hole wizard has been enhanced and now establishes default values, letting users implement default-based hole-making operations with no more interaction than three mouse clicks.

User oriented improvements
“We expect that our current and prospective customers will be very pleased with the numerous improvements we have made in the past year, as well as the new enhancements made specifically for SolidWorks interoperability,” said Bill Gibbs, president and founder of Gibbs and Associates. “SolidWorks users will see why GibbsCAM continues to be the best NC programming system available to them, while our joint customers can continue to take advantage of GibbsCAM 2011’s interoperability with SolidWorks 2011 to accurately open SolidWorks part models, and efficiently use them to generate programs for the simplest and most complex CNC machine tools.”

Complete CAD/CAM solution
The combination of GibbsCAM 2011 and SolidWorks 2011 provides a complete CAD/CAM solution for most manufacturing environments. Whether parts have simple geometry needing only 2.5-axis milling or 2-axis turning, or complex geometry requiring use of 5-axis machining, MTM or Swiss-style turning centers, the SolidWorks-GibbsCAM combination accommodates and optimizes the machining process. GibbsCAM verifies the toolpaths with gouge detection and interference checking, then dynamically and visually simulates them on virtual machine tools, and accurately post-processes them to generate optimal NC programs. Multiple GibbsCAM features help users eliminate scrap, reduce cycle times, and maximize efficiency, safety and profits.

For more information about GibbsCAM, or to locate your local GibbsCAM reseller, go to www.GibbsCAM.com, call 1-800-654-9399, or email info@GibbsCAM.com.

In Switzerland and France:
Productec SA
Les Grands Champs 5
2842 Rossemaison
Phone + 41 32 421 44 33
Fax + 41 32 421 44 39
info@productec.ch
www.productec.ch
Productec France
Phone +33 9 74 76 26 61

A unique position

Switzerland is the country with the highest density of companies working for the medical industry in the world. This translates as approximately 1,400 companies, generating over 48,000 jobs. More than 60% of these companies work on the production side. All of these manufacturers are found within an 150-kilometre radius of one of Switzerland’s – and Europe’s – historical centres of microtechnology.
It is the natural home of Medisiams, a trade fair which brings together the expertise of the microtechnology and medical industry.

“We are an event located at the heart of the microtechnology region. In Switzerland, there are three medical areas, the Berne-Bienne-Moutier region, the Geneva region and the Zurich region. So, in these terms, we could not be better placed” says M. Schmid, director of Medisiams.

Medisiams’ strength is its precise focus on production for the medical industry. Francis Koller, president of Siams, tells us: “For this year’s fair, we have decided to concentrate even more closely on microtechnology for the medical sector”. The result of this focus is that finished products destined for the medical sector will disappear from the lists… and therefore from the exhibition halls.

A logical concentration… and a response to a trend
With the positive experience of organising Siams and therefore a complete understanding of the world of microtechnology, the organisers of Medisiams had a large base of expertise to fall back on. After two years during which the fair did not have a clear focus, the decision was taken to voluntarily reduce the number of exhibitors and concentrate on a specific domain. Medisiams is the trade fair for microtechnology in the medical sector. At a time when managers of companies are incredibly busy and when a visit to an exhibition must be as efficient as possible, a specialist fair, focused and of a manageable size, is an important thing to offer. For those working in production for the medical sector, looking for production equipment, skills or subcontractors in this field, a visit to Medisiams guarantees the best return on investment in terms of time.

At the heart of the market
Medisiams is perfectly placed in the centre of this very important market. Situated on the border between the French and German speaking parts of the country, it brings together all Switzerland’s players in the medical microtechnology industry. With 40% of participation coming from the German-speaking side, this location ensures that all Swiss companies in this field are represented. Mr. Schmid, director of the Siams and Medisiams fairs says: “At Medisiams, the barrier between the two linguistic regions does not exist. Professionals from both German- and French-speaking Switzerland know that this move to Moutier is a profitable one that will provide them with a quality experience”. Asked about the geographic location of the event, he replied: “We are a united event located at the heart of the microtechnology region. In Switzerland, there are three medical areas, the Berne-Bienne-Moutier region, the Geneva region and the Zurich region. So, in these terms, we could not be better placed”.

Medisiams at a glance

• 4 days to discover (or rediscover) expertise in medical microtechnology
• Dates: 3 -6 May 2011
• Opening hours: Every day from 09:00 to 17:30
• Location: Moutier, Forum de l’Arc
• Exhibitors: Approximately 180
• Focus: Microtechnology and production in the medical sector

Do you work in the medical industry? Do the reasons given above for visiting the fair appeal to you? Put these dates in your diary and request your free entry pass from info@siams.ch today.

Are you interested in exhibiting? A few places are still available.

Medisiams
Case postale 452
CH-2735 Bévilard
Tel. 032 492 70 10
Fax: 032 492 70 11
www.medisiams.ch

New Leading Edge Dynamic Driving Simulator

Moog Industrial Group, a division of Moog Inc. (NYSE: MOG.A and MOG.B) and a leader in providing high-performance flight simulation and leading-edge testing systems to the automotive and aerospace markets, has provided the high-dynamic motion control system portion of the new Daimler AG driving simulator. The system is installed at Daimler’s new driving simulator center, which is part of the Mercedes-Benz Technology Center, in Sindelfingen, Germany.

The Moog electrical motion base is a hexapod consisting of six moveable supporting legs. It has six degrees of freedom (DOF): The top platform moves in x, y and z directions, and rotates over all three axes (pitch, roll and yaw). The entire motion system is mounted on the lateral rail, which makes possible the simulation of sideways movements such as lane changes that a hexapod on its own cannot simulate because of stroke limitations of the actuators. The Moog motion system is driven along the rail using linear motors.
Inside the dome there is a full Mercedes-Benz car model where test drivers seat and view a 360° projection screen showing real-life traffic scenes, with moving pedestrians, oncoming traffic and buildings.

Most advanced simulator
The complete motion system of the hexapod and lateral rail is controlled by Moog real-time software. From the driver’s input to the pedals and steering wheel, the Daimler vehicle models calculate position, velocity and acceleration data. Moog software translates this information to movements in the hexapod and lateral rail to ensure the driver’s sensory expectations are matched. Consequently, driving the simulator feels just like driving a normal car. Everything that the driver sees projected onto the dome is matched by what he or she feels through the movement of the car generated by the hexapod and rail.
With its high speed electric motion system on a twelve-meter (39.37 ft) long rail for transverse movements and 360° screen, the dynamic simulator is the most advanced in the automobile industry. The system as integrated by Daimler engineers also features leading-edge energy efficient technology. Part of the energy required to drive the simulator is obtained by means of energy recuperation when braking and fed into the power network of the Sindelfingen plant.

About Moog
Moog Inc. is a worldwide designer, manufacturer and integrator of precision control components and systems. Moog’s Industrial Group designs and manufactures high performance motion control solutions combining electric, hydraulic, and hybrid technologies with expert consultative support in a range of applications including energy production and generation machinery, industrial production machinery and simulation and test equipment. The company helps performance-driven companies design and develop their next-generation machines. Moog’s Industrial Group, with fiscal year 2010 sales of USD 540 million and over 40 locations worldwide, is part of Moog Inc. (NYSE:MOG.A and MOG.B) which has sales of USD 2.1 billion.

Moog
P.O. Box 187
2150 AD
Nieuw-Vennep
Netherlands
Tel     +31 (0)25 246 2034
Fax     +31 (0)252 462 001
Web     www.moog.com/industrial

Motor efficiency upgrades – is it Win-Win or Win-Lose?

A seminal piece of legislation mandating minimum electric motor efficiency levels is scheduled to come into force across the EU in June 2011. It has enormous implications for machinery OEMs, with potentially serious consequences to sales and market share if attention is not paid immediately, says Baldor. The situation is made even more problematic by the USA’s EISA minimum efficiency regulations, which came into force in December 2010.

From feedback at exhibitions and from calls and visits Baldor believes that as much as a third of the EU’s OEMs are still either wholly or partially unaware that new general-purpose AC motors installed from June must meet a minimum efficiency of IE2. IE2 is equivalent to the previous CEMEP ‘EFF1′ standard.
Most OEMs currently use lower-efficiency EFF3- or EFF2- grade AC motors. Transitioning equipment designs with higher efficiency motors can involve physical and mechanical interface changes, changes to rotational speeds, and changes to thermal issues and starting behavior. These issues can have a big impact for equipment OEMs, and they might need weeks or even three months or more to make the upgrade.

“We’re sending an SOS message to European OEMs that if they do not start considering the impact of motor efficiency regulations immediately, then there could be negative implications for their sales and market share,” says Robin Cowley, Industrial Marketing Manager for Baldor in the EU. “And when OEMs think about the upgrade to IE2 efficiency levels, we are also suggesting that they consider their strategy for the IE3 efficiency level that’s coming down the track because if they don’t, their competitors might – and steal a march.”

Energy costs: A main concern
Most end users of automation are becoming seriously worried about their energy costs. Many are also currently putting strong environmental care plans into place. Given this market situation, Robin Cowley thinks that OEMs who start to offer the best efficiency levels available – IE3 – could see their market share grow at the expense of those who merely offer the minimum required.

A worldwide topic
This situation is complicated by the USA’s recent Energy Independence Security Act (EISA) which came into force in December 2010. EISA mandates a minimum efficiency level of ‘NEMA Premium’ for motors imported into the USA.
NEMA Premium is equivalent to IE3, which is not due to come into force in the EU until 2015. Robin Cowley expects that some USA OEMs could be adopting NEMA Premium as their standard offering for international sales as well. This means that much imported equipment could offer end users a significantly faster payback in terms of reduced energy consumption than equipment sourced from the EU.

Ecological and marketing arguments
“For some simple items of equipment such as pumps or fans, the motor is a significant proportion of the bill of materials and US competitors might offer a lower-spec IE2 alternative in the EU,” adds Baldor’s Robin Cowley. “However, where a motor is only a small proportion of some larger equipment – on a conveyor system for example – US competitors have the opportunity to offer premium efficiency as standard. This potentially puts them in a position to gain market share here in Europe.”

Baldor UK Ltd
Mint Motion Centre
6 Bristol Distribution Park,
Hawkley Drive
Bristol BS32 OBF, UK
Phone +44 (0)1454 850000;
sales.uk@baldor.com
www.baldor.com

LPKF Expands in Japan and China

LPKF Laser & Electronics AG expects a growth in business figures for 2010 with turnover most likely up 56 percent. The success of the German-based laser specialist is attributed to its booming export business.

LPKF CEO Dr. Ingo Bretthauer (left), Matthias Hu (center, managing director LPKF Tianjin) and Gene Feng, head of the new office in Shanghai.

LPKF Chairman of the Board of Managing Directors Dr. Ingo Bretthauer opened two new sales and service branches in Asia in January. LPKF already had a broad presence in China, and has now added a seventh branch office with its new sales and marketing office in Shanghai. “It is essential for LPKF to have a dense sales and service network, and therefore be close to its clients in our most important market,” says Bretthauer.

Close to markets…
The Japanese market is renowned in the electronics sector for its very high standards. The Japanese electronics industry maintains its leading position by manufacturing the critical components in its own country. This is why it is particularly important for Bretthauer that LPKF now has its own subsidiary in Japan. LPKF Japan K.K. in Yokohama will not only strengthen the group’s sales and service presence in Japan, but also provide LPKF with important feedback on the latest electronic trends.
In addition, LPKF has transferred its stake in the French subsidiary to the local management, which will focus its future on selling Rapid Prototyping equipment. LPKF Germany will take over the sale and marketing of laser systems in France and the Benelux countries.

…in every field
LPKF Laser & Electronics AG produces machines and laser systems used in electronics production, medical technology, the automotive industry, and the production of solar panels. Around 20 percent of the workforce is involved in research and development.

LPKF
Laser & Electronics AG
Osteriede 7
D-30827 Garbsen
Germany
www.lpkf.de
Contact
Malte Borges
malte.borges@lpkf.com
Tel. +49 (0)5131 7095-327
Fax +49 (0)5131 7095-90

These are tools for Gloor…

This phrase is often heard on the market as soon as it comes to buying special millers and summarizes well the position of the Swiss company. Renowned for its ability to develop special tools “no one else can do”, Gloor has based its organization on the willingness to find solutions for its customers.

Gloor is for instance a pioneer in thread whirling with more than 20 years of experience in the field.

Listening to the market
If Gloor is specialized in the realization of custom shaped tools, the company also offers a wide range of standard tools. Mr Fred Gloor, CEO says: “Our goal is to give our customers solutions to work more efficiently”. This materializes in the form of tools enabling them to gain in productivity or quality but also in the form of actual price per finished part (faster cutting or avoiding secondary operations). He adds: “Another aspect of this efficiency is our ability to provide a whole product range (custom and standard) as well as services to strengthen their performance in their respective markets”.

Global solution…
And to achieve the production of extraordinary tools, the company works seamlessly with customers. If someone wishes to order a special tool and simply sends a drawing, he will probably miss many potential benefits! Why?
Simply because since 51 years, the know-how acquired by Gloor in machining process is very broad. Mr Gloor says: “We always prefer to work from scratch, namely the piece to machine. We have thousands of references cases and we offer our customers this experience” . This broad expertise is shared with customers, but what about confidentiality? Mr  Gloor is very clear on this point: “We’re renowned for our expertise and our skills, but also for our ethics.  We work for instance with all the big names of the medical field and they know that one dedicated solution is not sold to others. Justified customer confidence is also an important element that characterizes our company”.

…and exceptional tools
Gloor is leader in the manufacture of special shaped tools with logarithmic relief grinding and form end mills (straight and spiral fluted). Thanks to the special production process it is possible for Gloor to produce tools with more teeth to make form milling cutters with a minimal concave corner radius of 0.02 mm.
We will go into details of the product range and capacities of the Gloor tools in our next issue of eurotec.

Next opportunity to meet Gloor on an exhibition: Medtec Stuttgart from March 22 to 24, 2011, booth 6289, Hall 6.

Friedrich Gloor AG
P.o. box 236
CH-2543 Lengnau
Tel. ++ 41 (0) 32 653 21 61
Fax ++ 41 (0) 32 653 02 01
E-Mail: info@gloorag.ch
www.gloorag.ch